Hours after the release of a pop single, cover versions begin to appear on YouTube. Such was the case for Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” and Britney Spears‘ “Hold It Against Me” (see our features here and here). The quality of covers varies, with the best versions often taking either a cross-genre or a humorous approach.

Some go both ways. The monthly top-ten countdown show Our Hit Parade features members of the New York City performance community singing cabaret versions of hit songs. In their latest show, Paul Iacono presents a plaintive version of Gaga’s “Born This Way” dressed as a chicken, with some poultry-related alterations to the lyrics. Molly Pope dresses as a southern belle (how appropriate) to deliver her version of Spears’ “Hold It Against Me.” Watch both whacko videos below.

Paul Iacono – Born This Way (Lady Gaga cover)

Molly Pope – Hold It Against Me (Britney Spears cover)

For more videos from Our Hit Parade, check out their website or YouTube.